


Fanfiction about Amelia after 14x03 - A sequel

by Seriesthoughts



Series: Grey's Anatomy stories [13]
Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:41:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27507025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seriesthoughts/pseuds/Seriesthoughts
Summary: Here is a sequel about the fic I wrote after Amelia’s tumor reveal, a few years ago. As requested by someone on tumblr.It was hard to write tbh, because I usually only write in canon, and I also had to do a little research about how the medical thing works. There’s not much about it but I wanted it to be logical at least.I also had to look at the stage of some relationships at this point to add to it. The fic contains also some moments from canon I reused for it, even though I made modifications. (Fair warning, I never wrote for Arizona or Carina or even Andrew so I hope this works well. I also hope the two words of Italian were accurate, I used google translate so…)Here’s the request she sent btw :“Could you do a part two of this ik it’s been a while but season 17 hasn’t come out yet and im dying. could you do it where amelia goes through radiation and surgery secretly and the only people there for her are arizona, carina and andrew”
Relationships: Amelia Shepherd/Andrew Deluca, Arizona Robbins/Amelia Shepherd, Carina DeLuca/Amelia Shepherd
Series: Grey's Anatomy stories [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1586137
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	Fanfiction about Amelia after 14x03 - A sequel

\- You’ve got a grapefruit sized tumor on your frontal lobe ! I don’t even know why we’re discussing this !

\- Come on Tom, you love to cut, so why don’t you ?

It had been like this for a week now. Carina and Andrew, both the only ones aware of the current situation, would find themselves in the middle of both neurosurgeons arguing, neither one accepting to give up.

Recently, Tom Koracick had come flying to Seattle, and studied Amelia’s tumor for a while before even saying anything. It got on her nerves, because not only did she looked at it carefully as well, but also, she felt like he was dismissing that she was even a surgeon herself. And a pretty damn good one, if you asked around.

\- You’re not the doctor in this case, but the patient, so step aside, he had said to her, once too many.

She shut him off for a few hours then, and it took all her pride put aside to allow him to come back, even though he was the only one with the power to help. But no matter how much she disagreed with him, she knew he was the best. He was the one who taught her a lot, after all.

She had been certain of the path that had to be taken for a while now though. So when Tom came to her and started talking about radiation, she was baffled. She always assumed he would go along with her plan and go right to cutting.

\- It’s not about necessarily avoiding entirely the surgery, you know that. But with that size ? I’d better get my chances up by damaging it first. Radiation can do that.

Amelia was having none of it, as the idea of radiation appalled her and she was fuming. It didn’t feel like Tom to be so safe. And yet, she would realize soon she was misjudging him a bit, as many.

\- You’re unbelievable. I call you in for help, thinking “Hey, he’s the best so I should be in good hands” and you just…

She couldn’t finish her sentence. Although deep down, she knew she might have been unreasonable and not thinking straight, she couldn’t fathom the idea right now.

\- I have nothing left to say to you, just get out !

Tom sighed, but didn’t try to fight it. He went to the door, hoping she would soon come to her senses.

\- Well, when you change your mind, you know where to find me !

After this, only the Deluca’s remained, worried, not knowing if they should say something or just let it be. They opted for the latter though, thinking maybe it wasn’t their place to act. At least not yet.

But they would soon feel otherwise, as Amelia being stubborn was bound to gnaw at them even more.

-

It had been a few days already since Amelia dismissed all treatment and pushed everyone away. She kept working and sometimes, it felt to Carina as if she would soon drown into work to avoid even thinking about it.

Although she hadn’t known the surgeon for that long, she pretty much liked her right away. Not to mention, she couldn’t help but feel responsible, as it was her trial which helped find out about the giant bomb sitting inside her head.

No matter how she was looking at it, she felt she had to say something, at least to someone who knew her better and could reach out. Andrew had been here for Amelia the past few weeks, but she couldn’t exactly say they had been interacting a lot prior to this.

Telling Maggie or Meredith, for instance, would surely feel like a betrayal to Amelia. She could only drift further apart.

So one night, as she was sleeping at Arizona’s place, she thought maybe the neurosurgeon wouldn’t be quite so upset if she confessed to her lover about it. She could always pretend blurting it out, out of concern for her, and it would ease the blow.

She was still pondering about it though, contemplating waking her up to get to it right now. Thankfully, her constant shifting under the covers had prevent Arizona to sleep any further.

Suddenly, she straightened in the bed, lighting up the lamp on the night stand.

\- Carina ? Are you okay ?

\- Scusa bella. Go back to sleep, it’s nothing, she said, immediately ashamed of disturbing her night.

They hadn’t been intimate for so long, so she felt like maybe, it was a bit much. But although they were new, Arizona had picked up on a thing or two about her new love interest.

For instance, Carina didn’t talk Italian just when she wanted to seduce her. Even though it had been one of her move, she also did when she was into an heated argument, like the ones she had with her brother, or simply upset. And tonight, it felt like it might be the latter.

\- What’s going on ? Pried the blonde, rubbing her eyes, still a bit asleep.

Carina looked at her, conflicted, pursing her lips. She tried finding a way to get out of it, but Arizona seemed so concerned, she couldn’t keep quiet anymore. So she tried confessing by using hypothetical.

\- What if you knew someone who’s sick, like really sick and they just brush it off and refuse to talk to anyone about it ? Would you… would you tell their close ones, or keep your oath ? I mean, does it even work if it’s not a patient of yours but a friend, sort of ?

With this confusing rambling, Arizona was now fully awake, looking at Carina with wide worried eyes. Instantly picking up on what she might mean, she gasped in horror.

\- Oh god, Andrew is sick ?

Carina frowned, then realized what she had sounded like. She groaned in frustration, thinking back to her words and how it might have sent the wrong message.

God. This was proving to be quite difficult, as she expected.

\- No, not Andrew, Jesus. I…

Finally making a decision, she turned to face her properly, a look of earnestness on her face. Arizona gulped, waiting for the other shoe to drop, seeing how her girlfriend was dead on serious right now.

\- Look, you have to promise you won’t say anything about it. At least not to the people who matter, alright ? Please, she really needs someone in her corner and I ain’t gonna cut it ! So, you have to keep it to yourself or she’ll pull away.

\- She ? Was all Arizona could reply.

Carina closed her eyes for a minute, breathing in to build up confidence. If she was gonna disclose someone’s medical problems to someone else, she might as well get this right.

So she started talking, hoping that Arizona was the best choice and that she wouldn’t come to regret spilling the beans.

She didn’t feel as if the two surgeons were so close, but maybe this was exactly what Amelia needed right now. And she hoped with all her heart the latter would think alike.

-

The day after this, Arizona’s heart was in shambles. No matter how little interactions they sometimes had, Amelia had been part of Grey Sloan for a while now, and knowing she was with tumor felt like a punch in the guts.

Arizona couldn’t then help but remember the time where she told Jackson about April pregnancy, and Amelia was here to call her out and comfort her, both at the same time. She had felt grateful for it, although she never said anything.

Overall, she didn’t know her all too well. But everytime they talked, she realized deep down how much of a gentle soul she could be.

And even though they scarcely revolved around each other, they had many ties, even if indirect. Not to mention, she could never forget her saving her mentor’s life. If not for anything else, she owed her at least for that.

Finding Amelia in the attending’s room, apparently going through files, she tiptoed, not ready to make her entrance heard yet. She wondered if the surgeon was studying patients’ cases, or her own.

Even trying to be discreet, she had to announce herself a some point, fearing Amelia could feel cornered once she’d realize why she was here.

\- Hi Amelia, she greeted her, trying to sound casual in vain.

Amelia looked up from her charts, frowning, not expecting her in the slightest.

\- Hi, she replied, hesitant.

\- Slow morning uh ? Makes up a bit for the time we barely have to review files, am I right ?

The conversation was starting weird. Arizona cursed herself for it, but she couldn’t help it. She never knew how to keep a worrisome secret like this one. Let alone act as if she wasn’t in on it.

Amelia furrowed her brows, opened her mouth to speak up before closing it without saying a word. Then, she remembered seeing Carina and her getting along. Connecting the dots, she had to say something.

\- You talked to Carina, didn’t you ?

To Arizona’s relief, her voice didn’t carry out any anger or resentment. It was calm, simply stating a fact. It surprised her a little.

\- She did, confessed the blond after a short sigh. I think…

She stopped talking, seeing how Amelia gestured her to come closer. Of course, even though nobody was around, she might as well be careful. She wanted to help, so she complied, taking a seat next to her.

She then lowered her voice.

\- I was saying… I think you should try whatever that guy is proposing, because I’ve been told he sure knows what he’s doing and you need to take care of this.

\- The guy’s good, I’ll give you that, she admitted, much to her displeasure.

Her voiced was drowned in a snarky-ish tone, trying to dismiss her own admission. Feeling the fear reek out of Amelia’s words, she took her hand. When the Shepherd sister looked up, she plunged her eyes into hers, full of support.

\- Look, you gotta try. When I lost my leg, I was furious at Callie for making the call to cut it off. But ultimately, I know this was the right choice. If you don’t do this, you might end up dying over something you could control. That’s… I know this will be hard, but this is not worth dying against. I’ll hold your hand through it, I promise.

\- You don’t have to…

\- I want to. Let me do this for you. I know we’re not very close but… Hell, you helped me save Hermann, if you need a reason. I can sit with you for this !

And although Amelia didn’t reply, she could see in her eyes how grateful she felt for having someone around. And with Arizona being both a friend and a stranger, at least, it would probably be easier.

-

With Arizona by her side, Amelia was ready to start out on her treatment. Even when she had been despondent about Tom’s decision to not cut right away, she had to admit some part of her was relieved as well.

She knew better than anyone the risks of surgery too. And she wasn’t sure she was ready for it. Truth be told, she wasn’t welcoming either solution.

But she knew she had to start somewhere. Even though she lived with this tumor for quite a while, as the tests had shown, she couldn’t just ignore it now and avoid treating it.

So she resigned herself to try, throwing a few glances at Arizona while Tom was preparing her to get her first radiation. The blonde smiled, and that was all she could do.

But she promised to be here anyway, so she wasn’t going anywhere.

\- Okay, you’re ready ? Asked Tom, more gently than she expected.

Breathing in, she nodded before she could change her mind.

\- I just have to tell you about the possible side effects, he said, even though he knew she was well aware about them.

Amelia rolled her eyes. Of course, he had to do this, even though she wasn’t the common patient. She knew that. And still, it was annoying her.

\- Yeah, I know the drill. I’m probably gonna lose some hair, puke my guts out and all that, right ?

Unimpressed, Tom still gave her the general idea, while she barely listened. She had been covering that kind of stuff for ages, ever since med school.

When he was done, before she went to start her treatment, Arizona came to her and tried to comfort her the best she could.

\- This is gonna be okay, you know ?

\- I know, it’s just…

\- You should tell Owen at least.

Seeing the death glare Amelia shot at her, she backed away. She then stopped herself : No matter how much Amelia didn’t wanna hear it, she needed to say it.

\- No, look, I’m sorry. I know this is not my place to say but come on ! He’s still your husband so far. How do you think he’s gonna feel ? And the more you don’t say anything to the people who are close to you, the more it’s gonna eat you up. Trust me on this.

Amelia gave her a puzzled look. Then, she remembered about her leg. She wasn’t around for it, but Arizona had confided in her and told her about how it destroyed her marriage.

And how alone Arizona felt in all this. How it was her own fault for not accepting her wife’s help.

Did she really want to follow the same path ? But the neurosurgeon had very different motivations in mind.

\- He wants nothing to do with me right now. Besides, I don’t want him to be stuck by my side because he feels he has to. He’s a good man, you know he would come back for me if he knew. That… wouldn’t be fair.

Arizona couldn’t find anything to say back. Such selflessness was making her speechless. So she would let her be, for now. Maybe later, she could convince her to talk to someone else.

Whether it would be during or after the cure, Arizona would keep her promise and stay by her side. She hadn’t been called after a battleship for nothing. After everything, she was still a good man in a storm.

-

Amelia had been puking all the way home when Arizona insisted on giving her a ride. Of all the side effects she could have experienced, this felt like the worst. It only reminded her of all these years back, when she had been in withdrawal, trying to fight her addiction.

Of course, Tom had offered some medication, but she firmly said no, as she always did because of her condition. Being an addict wasn’t something she wanted to overlook in times like this.

For a few weeks now, Amelia had been back to Meredith’s house. Her marriage was falling apart, and she also didn’t know how to hide her current state to Owen.

But lying about it to her sisters was even worse and proving harder. They would question her feeling sick, and there were only two options that raised in their minds : either she was back to drinking or drugs, or she was pregnant.

She had no patience for either talk.

So, this night, Arizona offered to take her back to her place. Even if Carina wanted to stop by, she would be able to, since she was in on the secret. Amelia gratefully accepted.

It had been the third treatment already, and she didn’t feel like anything was improving at all. Tom said it was slowly degrading the tumor, but she couldn’t believe it would feel so shitty to get some of it away.

He made her promise to try two more before they switch to surgery. By then, the grapefruit would have been reduced enough for it to be safer. Or at least, that’s what she was told.

She knew how all of this worked, but it still angered her to be in such a state. She felt useless and so little, fighting a disease she went up against so often as a surgeon.

Now, she was on the other side of that door, sneaking and avoiding contact in corridors to keep this quiet. In time, she would probably tell someone. But she couldn’t before this was all behind her.

Meredith was all too judgemental and already thought she was crazy. Maggie was another thing entirely. She would be kind about it, but far too emotional. And she wouldn’t be able to stand her watery eyes staring at her like she was gonna drop dead this very second.

Arizona helped Amelia out of the car and into her house, until she crashed on the sofa, obviously exhausted. She leaned back, closing her eyes for a second and feeling like maybe she’d fell asleep right away.

But her body didn’t agree with her and nausea soon came back in her throat, forcing her to reach quickly to the nearest area where she could let it out. Throwing up in the sink, she opened the water next, cleaning herself up.

Then she splashed her face with water and kept gripping the edge of the furniture, trying to steady herself.

Only when she opened her eyes again did she see the glass of water Arizona was waiting to give her. Thanking her, she took it and gulped it quickly, her mouth dried up from all the vomiting.

\- Easy, easy, said Arizona, almost getting it out of her hands. You wanna take small sips or you’re gonna feel sick again.

\- Shit, I know that… it’s just…

Feeling a bit better, she came back to the couch, settling herself against the cushions.

\- Thanks, really. You’ve been a lot of help.

\- No problem.

As she wanted to add something, the door bell rang, making Amelia suddenly anxious. She hoped it would be someone she was prepared for, as she still wasn’t ready to come clean to anyone new yet.

\- I’m gonna go see who it is and get them to leave if needed. You rest up.

She heard two voices that she wasn’t sure to recognize from afar. Not to mention, she was still feeling a bit dizzy so she couldn’t quite focus. Then the door closed and she sighed in relief when she turned, seeing Carina and Andrew on Arizona’s tail.

\- Oh, thank god, it’s not Mer ! She couldn’t help but blur out.

\- She was still in surgery, offered Andrew, chuckling a bit. I think you’re safe.

She smiled ghastly, still worn out by the radiation. Then, it hit her.

\- Wait… What are you doing here ? Carina, I understand but…

\- Well, thanks, it’s nice to see I’m welcomed. He said playfully. We asked news about you from Tom, but he was an ass about it. He just told us to go find out for ourselves since you came home with Arizona.

Amelia rolled her eyes at the explanation, thinking of Koracick. But she couldn’t say she was surprised in the least.

\- God, that man is so… infuriating.

\- That’s a nice way to put it, Andrew couldn’t help but agree.

He sat next to her on the couch, rubbing her shoulder slightly. A few weeks earlier, she would have probably asked why he was even touching her, but now, they had grown closer and she couldn’t deny how much of a support he had been.

They had come to a sort of great mutual understanding. One might even say they were becoming friends.

\- How do you feel ?

\- Like crap, she replied without a filter, as usual.

Andrew couldn’t help but chuckle at her honesty.

\- Well, too bad you’re in no shape for my experiments. That’d definitely make you feel better, said Carina, butting in.

Andrew groaned and rolled his eyes, hearing her sister talking about sex again. He knew she had no shame and that it was her job. But still, hearing his sibling making such comments always annoyed him.

\- Carina, for god’s sake, can you not ?

\- What is it, little brother ? Afraid of orgasms ? Do you never have any ?

\- My orgasms are fine, thank you. You’re just making me uncomfortable.

Carina couldn’t help but smile widely at this. Really, teasing her brother about sex was just the best. His passionate reactions always made her mock him even more.

Seeing the playful banter between the two, Amelia couldn’t hold it anymore. She burst out laughing, and soon, the room was filled with everyone’s hilarity. The joyful moment died quick, but it all relieved them of the tension that had been there.

Even before they revolve around each other so much, they always liked one another. Arizona had interacted a bunch of times with Amelia, and even if they weren’t close, she always appreciated her presence and insights.

Although Andrew never said it, he admired Amelia as a surgeon the most. She was one of his favorite attending.

Carina was a little further from the group, but she just liked the woman right off the bat. And now that each of them developed their relationship even more, they were only worried time together would be counted.

\- Okay, who wants a drink ? Offered Arizona after a moment of silent contemplation.

As she trusted everyone in the room enough to let them in on her little secret, Amelia shrugged. Obviously, she would have to decline.

\- Well, I’m an addict, so, I don’t drink anymore. Plus, I don’t think it mixes well with radiation !

\- Well, I know, I wasn’t offering you. But we might need liquid courage soon. She replied, putting emphasis on the “we”.

\- Thanks, I feel like I’m dead already, she said in an ironic tone.

While everyone followed Arizona to choose their poison, Amelia stayed on the couch and closed her eyes for a second. Suddenly, she felt like scratching her head. But when she executed herself, the others turned back in a rush as they heard her gasp in horror.

The brunette was exactly where they had left her, unharmed, but with a big chunk of hair in her hand. There was a hole where she scratched, while she couldn’t seem to shake the look of surprise on her face.

\- Damn it, I hoped I wouldn’t have to go through this one, she said a bit angrily.

As Arizona was coming to her side to comfort her, she sighed, taking a deep breath in.

\- Well, let’s look at the bright side, she decided. It’s gonna get easier for Tom to shave my head for surgery. I might need a wig though.

\- We’ll get you all the wigs you want, the blonde replied, her arm around her shoulders while seated next to her.

Amelia chuckled, imagining how this would just raise awareness.

\- Maybe just the one that match my hair, alright ?

\- Deal.

As the night advanced, they kept talking and joking around, hoping that they wouldn’t have to find out how it would feel for Amelia to get ripped away from their world.

-

\- Well, this is the day.

After two more radiation treatment, Tom finally announced he was gonna do the surgery as promised. The grapefruit that was living in her brain had been subdued, but as expected, was not entirely gone.

Koracick felt like he couldn’t do much more though, so he decided it was time for him to let Amelia go under the knife. They were exchanging a few words as he was prepping her.

\- You could have done it sooner, you sadist, she teased. But, thanks for making it a discreet thing at least.

And she meant it. She had studied enough under the man to know he was that good. She also believed he was confident enough, but she knew deep down he sometimes clung to his own fears. Just like her.

\- Look, Shepherd, I’m flattered you think I’m that good, but I was not liking those odds. I’d rather up my chances of you not dying on the table. Nobody’s that good.

Despite what everyone thought, Koracick cared about what happened to his protegee. He had shaped her early years and taught her everything he knew. No matter what, he’d always have a soft spot for her.

\- I am, she replied without missing a beat. So, maybe you’re a little rusty ? Should I call Mer and Maggie and say my goodbyes ?

\- Very funny, Shepherd. And a little cocky, might I add.

\- Learned from the best.

Tom tilted his head, but couldn’t find room to protest. He might be an arrogant ass, but he was a pretty self aware one.

After a moment, Tom broke the silence before it could really set up.

\- It’s actually good you didn’t talk about this to close relatives.

\- What do you mean ? She asked, confused.

He didn’t reply right away, pondering if he should come clean about his insecurities or not. But he had a reputation to maintain, so he decided otherwise.

\- I feel family is a distraction. You don’t wanna disappoint those teary eyes. It just adds more pressure, really.

\- Of course you’d say that.

He felt relieved when she didn’t pick up on the double meaning of his words. Even though his snarky tone might have sealed it, there was also a hint of truth inside.

\- Okay, so you’re ready ?

\- Sure.

\- Let’s go then.

She was about to lie down and let him work. When she reached for the operation table though, she quickly backtracked, changing her mind.

\- No no, wait wait wait. I need to do something first.

\- What now ? He groaned, annoyed. I’ve scrubbed in !

\- It doesn’t require for me or you to get out, just… to get Arizona and the Delucas in here.

At these words, Tom frowned. He opened his mouth to deny her request and protest, but she knew exactly was he was gonna say. So she cut him off before he could even express himself.

\- Oh come on Tom, they’re all doctors as well, they know how to scrub in. It will only take a minute.

As the three people who stood by her side in all this, and promised to be here until the end, came, she smiled proudly. She was about to teach them her favorite courage trick of them all.

\- Thanks for being here. I need you to observe, and do exactly the same. Will you follow this for me ?

They had no clue what she was talking about, but they nodded anyway. There was no point denying a maybe dying woman her last wish.

Making fists, she put them on her hips, abhorring the legendary pose that she had shown her own student a while ago. Oh, how she missed her sometimes.

A little surprised and not knowing what this was, Carina and Arizona looked at each other in confusion.

But Andrew, who had been helping and taking care of Amelia a lot since the diagnosis dropped, smiled seeing this. He then stood right besides her, making the same pose as well, looking highly and proudly.

Then Arizona and Carina both joined.

Watching it happen made Tom smirk. He could not refrain from commenting on it, as he was oddly touched by this.

\- Well, this is kinda cool, Shepherd. Can I join or am I too good for you little group ?

\- You can if you shut up Tom. This is supposed to be a silent powerful stand.

A little impressed and proud at her foul mouthed answer, he replied nothing and simply joined in.

After a minute, she let go, satisfied.

Dozing off, she smiled, as the last thing she saw was the hopeful smiles of the people who were by her side through all this from the gallery.

-

After the successful surgery, relief was the master word. Although it was briefly enjoyed, as Amelia’s recovery was no walk in the park.

Soon enough, headaches and a few other side effects appeared. Tom monitored each of them thoroughly, but they couldn’t ignore the look of constant worry that met his eyes.

The tension rose up a few times as Andrew, who had been on a mission from Amelia’s early instructions, tried to take her out of the bed before she was even ready. She had nagged him about the wonders of early ambulation, which she was convinced helped all her patients.

At the time, she was in too great pain to express herself, but she couldn’t help but change her mind. It drove her even sader when she realized she had been pushing all her patients to try it, probably torturing them as well in the process.

But she could not manage to speak, and even if she could, she would not have displayed it to others. So she suffered in silence.

The next day, she felt lost waking up to unfamiliar faces, not remembering who each of them were. It was like a small thing in the back of her head that just wouldn’t come out.

She knew the information was still here though. And it frustrated her. So she was satisfied when she managed to get their names and relation to the hospital. It was not much, but still better than nothing.

She didn’t know why Arizona was by her side right now, but this was strangely comforting. She felt as maybe they had been sharing a deeper friendship lately, even though she couldn’t quite remember it.

Deluca and Carina were standing near, a little further. And right now, it just seemed right. She couldn’t fathom why, but these people were her current support. And she was thankful for it.

It took a few days to recover from that as well. But when she did, she knew she could be soon out of the woods. Although she had at least a few more days of pain to go through.

It had to get worse before the better part, right ?

The following and last days, even as she was again in too much pain to voice anything, she kept denying any pills to calm down. Arizona knew she couldn’t go against her wishes, especially if it would get her hooked on drugs again.

But she was desperate to help her friend, torn by seeing her like this. So she did the only thing that crossed her mind then.

Giving her hand for Amelia to grab unto, she knelt at her bedside and looked her in the eyes.

\- You don’t want pain meds ? Fine. Then, squeeze. As hard as you need. And do not worry about crushing my hand, alright ? Just remember I’ve lost a leg, so you can’t do more damage than that.

Through the tears, Amelia chuckled a little, which made Arizona smile. At least, she was still able to laugh through this. Good. She would stay right next to her, and allow her to let go of her hand only when she would not need it anymore.

On the other side of the hospital bed, the Delucas sat as well, just in case she’d ever need another hand to crush. Or anything else.

Those past weeks had been a blast, getting to know that gorgeous and selfless gem of a person that was Amelia. No matter what, it became ride or die. And they wanted to know how much deeper the friendship could get.

-

\- Do you know who the president is ?

\- I wish I didn’t.

She flinched sightly, as Tom was pointing a light towards her eyes, checking on her reflexes and all. He took her hands and pushed on them. She responded by pushing back, with enough strength for him to be satisfied.

He smiled, knowing by the end of the examination that he could finally let her go home.

\- Good.

He took her chart to write it on, about to discharge her, then turned back, feeling playful.

\- Just wanna be sure… who do you think it is ?

\- Oh come on, you’re really gonna… ?

He stared at her, raising his brows, making sure she would comply. She rolled her eyes.

\- Donald Trump, she muttered, slightly annoyed.

Smirking, he nodded, acting like he finally got convinced of something he wasn’t sure of. Then it broke into a plain mocking smile, which made her chuckle a bit.

\- You just HAD to make me say it, didn’t you ?

\- You gotta admit it was quite funny, he replied smugly.

\- You’re such an ass, she chuckled again.

He laughed slightly, writing a few words on the discharge form, then on the chart, before handing the first one to her.

\- Well, I might be an ass, but I’m letting you go. You’re tumor free Shepherd, and you can go home.

Dumbfounded, she stared at the paper in her hands for a while, as he left the room without another look. The Delucas and Arizona, waiting for her to move and get her things, noticed how she froze.

Gently, Arizona came closer and rubbed her back.

\- Amelia, hey. He said you’re fine. You’re cleared to go home.

\- Something’s wrong. Something’s missing. Um, please get my scans.

As she crawled back into bed, they all shared a confused look and frowned. Andrew, pensive, seemed to figure it out and left running after warning the others.

\- Stay with her, I’ll be back soon with what she needs. I think I can catch up to Dr Koracick.

As the misunderstanding grew, they just stood there, not knowing what to do.

Trying to comfort Amelia, they were met with a brick wall as she wouldn’t hear them saying she was okay. She seemed to believe something else was going on, and both Carina and Arizona were oblivious.

They had to trust Andrew to make the right call and help her out. After all, he had been around her the most in her time of need.

When he came back, he had been hiding something behind his back. As he sat on the bed, he told her to look at him, and spoke as gently as he could.

\- Look. I think I figured out what you’re looking for. It was this.

With these words, he showed what he was keeping behind him, as she gasped shakily while tears already invaded her eyes. It was her tumor, sitting in formalin, big and scary but outside of her for real.

\- This is what’s missing, he pursued. I think you’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop, for… something to go wrong. And I think it might be because, for years now, something was wrong. This thing was growing inside of you, and you were in constant danger. But now it’s gone. And you’re safe. And I think, for you, that might feel…like something’s wrong, but, uh…

He then handed it to her and she took it slowly in her arms, filled with emotion.

\- Here. It’s over. You can breathe now.

Then she started sobbing, mouthing a thank you that would stay stuck in her throat. Although he never heard it, he knew she was grateful. He only wanted her to feel better anyway.

She came closer, hugging him, while everyone joined in. Truly, they were so happy for her to still be alive. Now, she could turn a new chapter in her book. And they couldn’t wait to get to know her, without this giant threat inside her head.

-

As she was putting the last of her clothes in her traveling bag, excited to get out and to get back to a life she thought she would lose, Arizona was trying to advocate for her to come clean about what happened.

Although she had agreed to tell Meredith and Maggie soon, she was still reluctant to confess to Owen.

\- I’m not ready yet. I think I need to rediscover who I am first, you know ? And maybe he’s not gonna wanna know that new person but… I need to get back on my feet no matter what.

\- You feel pretty much like the old Amelia to me.

Thankful for this reminder, Amelia smiled but didn’t know how to respond. The future, at best, was uncertain for her. She had to realize what it meant to live without the tumor.

Even though she had no idea she even had it in the first place.

\- Do you think I’ll be able to pick up a scalpel again ? She couldn’t help but wonder aloud.

\- It was your emotion and impulses that were impaired, not…

As Amelia glared at her, she gulped, choosing to change her phrasing. The woman was enough of a great surgeon to know the implications. And still, her heart was worried about it.

She had to show her how much the illness had nothing to do with her talent.

\- I don’t think your ability to be a surgeon is something that’d go away like that. Don’t worry, you’re still gonna be a badass neuro goddess. The one who saved Hermann’s life. 

Hearing this, she smiled and looked down, embarrassed.

\- And made her go blind, she couldn’t help but reply.

\- Well, better blind and happy than dead, right ? Hermann would tell you that much.

And she meant every word of it, Amelia could feel it. Although it was hard for her to take any credit right now, she knew she would get back on the horse soon enough.

And she couldn’t wait to find out, how much of a superhero she still was from now on.


End file.
